Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a COVID-19 patient bill of rights to eliminate barriers to screening, testing, and immunization.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a carrier to provide coverage for the costs and all associated costs of administration of COVID-19 vaccines as follows (Sec. A-1-2):

• A carrier shall provide coverage for any COVID-19 vaccine licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration that is recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or successor organization, for administration to a person 16 years of age or older according to a valid prescription or a written standing order from a practitioner authorized under the laws of this State to issue an order, a prescription or a protocol to a person 16 years of age or older for COVID-19 vaccines licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration;

• A carrier may not impose any deductible, copayment, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirement;

• A carrier may not make coverage without cost-sharing dependent on any prior authorization requirement; and

• A carrier may not make coverage without cost-sharing dependent on the use of a provider in a carrier’s network unless an enrollee is offered immunization by a network provider without additional delay and the enrollee chooses instead to obtain immunization from an out-of-network provider.

• Requires a carrier to provide coverage for screening and testing for COVID-19 as follows (Sec. A-1-1):

• A carrier shall provide coverage for screening and testing for COVID-19 that is:

• Medically necessary as determined by a health care provider;

• Performed following any written standing order issued by the state epidemiologist within the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; or

• Required by an employer, institution of higher education or public, or private school, notwithstanding any requirements of any written standing order issued by the state epidemiologist.

• A carrier may not impose any deductible, copayment, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirement;

• A carrier may not make coverage without cost-sharing dependent on any prior authorization requirement;

• A carrier may not make coverage without cost-sharing dependent on the use of a provider in a carrier’s network unless an enrollee is offered screening and testing by a network provider without additional delay and the enrollee chooses instead to obtain screening from an out-of-network provider or to be tested by an out-of-network laboratory.

• Authorizes an individual licensed under this chapter whose scope of practice includes prescribing medication to prescribe to a patient a supply of a prescription drug for an extended period, not to exceed a 180-day supply, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, except for a drug prescribed (Sec. B-1).

• Authorizes a pharmacist to dispense to a patient a supply of a prescription drug for an extended period, not to exceed a 180-day supply, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor unless the prescription drug order is prescribed (Sec. B-5).

• Authorizes an individual licensed under this chapter whose scope of practice includes prescribing medication to prescribe to a patient a supply of a prescription drug for an extended period, not to exceed a 180-day supply, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, except for a drug prescribed (Sec. B-7).

Full Bill Text